The Shadow in a Friend
by WesDaaman
Summary: Something deadly shall happen to an unlikely character.
1. Chapter 1: The Irritation Starts

What if there was something dreadful inside you? This dreadful thing is something that makes you unsettled. What if one day, it revealed itself by making you, its host, wickidly evil? Would you try and fight it as best you can?

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For a while, Griffy (the Pygmy Griffin) was at first happy for his seven friends (Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity and Spike) were the represenatives of the Elements of Harmony. But pretty soon, jealousy was slowly creeping into his soul very fiercely.

He tried not to think of his yearning for being a hero, for that only made him feel worse.

_To Be Continued_


	2. Chapter 2: Reports

Reports were then going around Equestria on rumors about two odd-looking Creatures snooping around the nations, searching for something.

All the residents of Ponyville gathered for a town meeting.

"Attention fillies and gentlecolts", anounced the mayor, "I believe you are all aware of the strange sightings of a bulky-looking, gray-colored Creature with Horse hooves and mostly the resemblance of a hornless Rhinoceros working with a tall, green-colored, Crab/Spider-like Creature with a hooked horn on its head and an almost Pony-like face?"

Everypony and other Creature in the crowd nodded in agreement.

"We should all be ready", she continued, "To defend ourselves if they try anything life-threatening towards us all. Because they could come around here pretty soon"

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As all the citizens departed for home and being vigilent about those two wierd Beings, Griffy pointed out something to Twilight and Spike.

"These two Creatures sound like those mutated versions of Chop and Digger", the Griffin said.

"Oh yeah", said Spike, "Didn't you say you met those two a while back on your journey for a new home?"

"And you said they were just two regular homeless Ponies?", added Twilight, "A Unicorn Pony and an Earth Pony?"

"That's them all right", Griffy answered, "I still can't believe that they now serve darkness"

"Maybe those two mysterious Beasts could be Chop and Digger", suggested Spike.

_To Be Continued_


	3. Chapter 3: Lack of Sleep

Later that night, Fluttershy could not help but wonder what was coming over Griffy as she watched him pass by her house to get to his Maple Tree home. She decided to ask him what was up. After all, she was one of his closest friends.

She finally caught up with him just when he was a couple more feet from his Tree.

"Griffy", she asked softly.

"Oh, hey Flutter", Griffy moaned, "I'm just going down underneath my Tree to update the archives with the reports of the two maraculous snoopers around Equestria"

"You have an archives chamber beneath your Tree?", asked Fluttershy in amazment, "How do you get down there?"

"There's an elevator inside the trunk of the Tree that leads to an underground cave beneath this Tree and that's the archives", answered Griffy, "It's filled with many ancient stories from the past as well as old objects such as weapons, fossils and the body parts of Animals that are still alive today. PS, I got help with building the archives place from Snips and Snails. Man, those two numbskulls will do anything for hay smoothies"

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"Anyways", said Fluttershy, "I really wanted to know why you have been acting so slow and blue lately. You're not acting like your usual funny and smart self"

"Something's up with me all right, but I really can't put my talon on it", Griffy answered, "In fact I haven't been sleeping very well for the past few days"

"Aaaawwww", said Fluttershy, giving Griffy a gentle hug, "Poor Griffy, you must be having an emotional problem"

"Perhaps you're right", said Griffy. He then kicked the base of his Tree, which caused one of the branches to lower down to his height. He then got on the lowered branch and turned around to Fluttershy.

"I'll see you and the rest of the gang tommarow", he said as he yanked one of the branch's smaller limbs sticking out and that caused the branch to go back up into its regular place.

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At 11:00 PM, Griffy was already starting to have nightmares. This time, he was having one about being confronted by an enormous black cloud with glowing red eyes. It spoke to him in a ghastly voice that Griffy would soon be enjoying its company.

Griffy then woke up to find it was still very late and realized that this was going to be a long night, just like the past few nights.

_To Be Continued_


	4. Chapter 4: Pinkie Fun does not Work

Griffy headed over to Sugar Cube Corner the next morning after breakfest, and wondered if he might do bad at washing dishes today, due to bad sleep last night.

He opened the door rather slowly and was immediatley grabbed hold of by the scruff of his neck by Pinkie Pie's teeth. She quickly rushed him with him into the kitchen and finally dropped him onto the floor.

"Glad to see you could make it!", yelped Pinkie with happiness.

"Yeah whatever", grumbled Griffy, rubbing the back of his neck, due to the bite Pinkie had left on him while holding him like that for no apparent reason.

As soon as Griffy was washing the used dishes in the sink, Pinkie could not help but feel sorry for what ever was bugging him.

"Hey, do you need some cheering up Griffy?", asked Pinkie in an almost flirt-like fashion.

"I don't think I'm in the mood for one of your crazy cheer-ups", sighed Griffy.

"Are you sure?", asked Pinkie in a comical fashion.

"Alright", moaned Griffy, "Show me what you got"

Pretty soon, Pinkie zoomed out of the kitchen and came back with a Bananna suit on and holding maracas in her front hooves and started to sing a very akward song about Peanut butter and jelly.

"Sorry", replied Griffy in the end, "It's just not doing it"

_To Be Continued_


	5. Chapter 5: Stunts and Spies

As Griffy departed Sugar Cube Corner for the day, he wondered to himself why he was not himself still.

"_Why am I not as busy as an Apple-Loosan?_", he pondered to himself.

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Pretty soon, he stopped by Rainbow Dash's house and knocked on her cloud door.

"Rainbow", he asked as she answered, "I think I need some professional help"

"The best kind of theropy I do is do awesome stunts in the air!", she said with coolness, "Do you think that will help you out, Griff?"

After a few laps through the air and swating at the small clouds with Rainbow, Griffy did feel energized in the end but emotionally not.

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Meanwhile, some 2 miles away in a dark canyon, the two Mega-Ant venom-mutated homeless Ponies (Chop and Digger) were searching for something.

"Can you believe we were temporarally friends with that Pygmy Griffin back at that mountain forest near Hoofington?", mused Digger his new, creepy voice.

"Yeah, I still don't believe we got super powers now", replied Chop in his new, deeper voice.

"You imbosell", Digger snapped, "We are not super-powered, we are geneticaly altered from the Mega-Ant venom, remember?"

Just then, an evil-looking figure appeared from the shadows. It was a Rat with glowing, yellow eyes and a case of Mange Mites.

"The boss says to keep searching for the 8th spirit", said the Rat to them, "But this time, you should actually hurt others if they intentionally get in your way"

"Tell the master that we shall not fail", replied Digger.

"Yeah", added Chop.

And the Rat slipped away into the shadows.

_To Be Continued_


	6. Chapter 6: Signs of Darkness

Later that night, the old-acting Rat snuck into Ponyville, trying not to be seen by any resident. The Rat finally reached its destination, Griffy's Tree. It climbed into the Tree and spotted Griffy sleeping, panting, sweating and twitching in his sleep, due to him having another nightmare. The Rat snuck over to him, approached his ear and whispered.

"Master", it whispered, "Any progress yet?"

"So far so good", said a ghostly voice from Griffy's ear, which followed with black mist coming from the sleeping Griffy's ear, "Soon, this Pygmy Griffin shall be the one who shall locate the Spirit of Friendship, and I shall indeed destroy that spirit so no living thing will be able to stop me"

"How are you getting anything good out of him my lord", asked the creepy Rat.

"This Griffin's stress is what I am getting that is good", replied the mist-eminating voice, "His jealously, It is so delicious"

"So long for now, great and supreme one", said the Rat with a formal bow and scurried out of the Tree.


	7. Chapter 7: Shadow Griff

Griffy woke up the next morning feeling very odd, with many aching pains coarsing through his body. He also had this overwhelming desire to hide in a dark and shady place, outside of his Tree. Pretty soon, Griffy was just zooming out of his Tree, flying as fast as he could and into a dumpster in an ally.

Spike and the six Ponies all wondered what had happened to Griffy later that day, for he had not been seen by any living being all day.

"We should probably go searchin' fer 'um", suggested Applejack.

"I concure", said Rarity, "Today is a day were he is supposed to assist me in my clothes designs and be janitor at the spa, and I have not seen him at either place"

As the seven searched for Griffy all over Ponyville, time passed and they were all still searching while it was dark. Rainbow Dash then spotted what looked like a dumpster shaking.

"I think we may have found him", she called down to the other six.

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As the seven approached the dumpster with caution, they also could not help but notice that as the dumpster shook, it was letting out black-colored fumes.

"Gr-Gr-Griffy", whispered Fluttershy to the dumpster.

"Griffy is no longer here", replied a loud, deep and evil-sounding voice from within the dumpster, "You may now call me.."

Suddenly, the dumpster flew open and a dark purple smoke shot right out of it and started to take a new shape. It was turning into Griffy, but his fur and feathers were all black, his wings were much bigger, his tail looked like a spear, his eyes were as red as blood and he was wearing dark blue armor (the same armor that Nightmare Moon wore).

"SHADOW GRIFF!", he called out in a very evil version of his own voice.

_To Be Continued_


	8. Chapter 8: The Tale of the Past

"What's happened to you Griffy?", exclaimed the seven in shock.

"Allow for me to explain mortals", said this new evil Griffy.

"I am a spirit-like being that tries to posess any living thing that I feeling great hatred, jealously or any negative thing like that. In this case, I have taken control of Griffalonius Von Masterton III's body, for he was very very jealous that he was not a represenative of the seven Elements of Harmony"

"How long have you been inside him?", asked Rainbow fiercely

"Well you see", said the evil Griffy, "I have been around for millieniums, and have done many evil deeds in the past; for I am the source of all evil. I AM mass destruction. I AM total chaos. I AM THE Master OF EVIL! For I was the reason why Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon, for I had posessed her body when she was most jealous of her older sister's day, those many years ago. When Luna was redemed, I slithered away into the shadows in my true form, which has the resemblance of a black cloud with glowing red eyes, and I quickly posessed Griffy at that very moment. Since then, I had been residing in his body, feeding off his anger and misery whenever he would unleash it. Yes, with ever bite I took, I grew stronger and stronger. I later sensed that the legendary eighth Element of Harmony, the Spirit of Friendship, was about to reveal itself and suppossedly defeat me, so I hired Chop and Digger to search for it, while my posessed Rat minion would deliver messeges between me and those two idiots"

"There's an eighth Element of Harmony?", Spike responded in confusion, "How many spirits are there anyways? 5,000?"

"What is your name you demonic entity?", Twilight asked fiercely.

"History has given me many names", responded the thing inside Griffy through Griffy's mouth, "But you may call me by one of my local names, which is Kurayami"*

"There shall be nothing you 7 weaklings can do to stop me, for I have the physical abilities of a Pygmy Griffin now!", anounced the evil thing through Griffy's beak, "Mwa-ha-ha-hahahaha!"

_To Be Continued_

* The Japanese word for "Darkness"


	9. Chapter 9: Info on the 8th Spirit

Shadow Griff then, after doing his evil laugh, twirled around in the air and, in a flash of red and black light, was gone.

"Looks like we have some history on the 8th Element to research", said Twilight to the six others.

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The seven friends were then at Twilight & Spike's house (the Book Tree), searching for any information on the 8th Element of Harmony. But as they all searched, they new that time was short and that the fate of the entire universe was at risk.

"I found it!", sang Pinkie Pie in an annoying way.

"Where'd ya'll fahnd it?", asked AJ.

"Under the old legends and prophesies section of books", answered Pinkie.

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The seven then found the chapter about the history 8th Element of Harmony, the Spirit of Friendship:

Just a few years after Celestia and Luna's ancestors had defeated the Antmen and hid the existence of the 7th Element away, they decided to create some new sort of guardian, that would not go evil and would defend the whole world from the forces of evil. So they created the 8th Element of Harmony, the Spirit of Friendship, which was also given a mind of its own. The form the Element decided to take was that of a giant living stone statue soldier Pony with the powers of fire, liquid water, ice, subterrainean earth, stone, air, light, gravity, magnetism, electricity, acid and sonics.

Over time, the "Great Stone Pony of Friendship" protected Equestria from all evil threats and even created smaller, Deer-sized duplicates of itself to make the powerful force stronger. But however, these small copies could not defend themselves against one particular threat, the evil entity-like being of many names, Kurayami.

Thank's to Kurayami, the smaller stone guardians fell one by one. This evil being continued to cast out its unrelenting shadow and planned to send all living things across the planet into a deep slumber, so that this dark being could create a time of dark order and awaken the world as their conquerer.

Reluctantly, the Great Stone Pony of Friendship battled against this evil spirit thing, hoping to defeat it. All of its elemental powers did not work on this wicked beholder of darkness. So the Great Stone Pony of Friendship summoned its best power of all that had hardly used in a while, the Harmony power of Friendship; itself. Kurayami was defeated, but not gone. Kurayami had become very weak from that blast of Harmony power and could do nothing more than posess bodies of living Organisms.

The Great Stone Pony of Friendship then decided to pass the torch of leadership to a new generation of guardian hero, a female Pygmy Griffin (no relation to Griffy). The Great Stone Pony of Friendship passed the power on by turning back into the Spirit of Friendship and went inside that Griffin's body, giving her its powers.

Kurayami tried to destroy this Pygmy Griffin and the 8th Element inside her, but she was well armed and Kurayami disappeared; but that evil being said that it would return someday and that you cannot destroy it, for it is immortal (practicaly nothing).

The Spirit of Friendship then departed the female Griffin's body and decided to retire in the great old temple in which the other Elements of Harmony had always resided. It then took an unknown form, in order to camuflougue itself from any new evil threats and it has been disguised in the temple ever since.

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"Wow", said Spike, "That's a pretty intense tale"

"So Kurayami was the real reason why Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon and why Griffy has turned into Shadow Griff?", said Rarity, "I think that this evil fellow might not really have a taste for good fashion like I do"

"But what puzzles me is..", said Twilight, "Why did Celestia tell us that the reason why Luna bacame Nightmare Moon was because there was a spark of uncontrolable magic within her which resulted in evil behaviour?"

"Perhaps she just wanted to let us all understand the threat of Kurayami taking control of you when you are at your most bitter, but without actually knowing of this evil Being", suggested Spike.

"Now we have to save the world, the 8th Element of Harmony, and poor little Griffy", said Fluttershy, "All he wanted to be was a hero, like the seven of us"

"We've got a universe to save", anounced Twilight heroically, "Now let's go!"

_To Be Continued_


	10. Chapter 10: Temptation Crawls In

Spike and the six Ponies realized that this new journey would have to lead them through the EverFree Forest to get to that ancient temple they have visited before. Spike, unlike the Ponies, was feeling more braver; for hew realized that the EverFree Forest was indeed his true homeland. As they all trecked through the forest, they still could not get over the scary feeling of being in a forest at night.

That's when Spike stopped to eye some interesting-looking Ferns with a blue phosphoresence eminating from them.

"Glow Ferns", identified Spike, "It's a good thing I live in a library"

That's when he realized that he was lost, seperated from the six girls.

"Hello?" he called out, "Where are you ladies?"

All of a sudden, the deep and creepy-sounding version of Griffy's voice came from the dark shadows.

"Spike", it spoke, revealing two blood-red eyes just floating there in the shadows, "It is me, Shadow Griff"

"W-w-What do y-you w-w-w-want from m-me?", Spike stammered in fear.

"Why are you even bothering in assisting those Ponies?", replied Shadow Griff, at that moment; revealing his true form (that armored evil version of Griffy), "Were they ever actually your friends?"

"Well yeah", said Spike, "Twilight, specifically, has always been my best friend"

"You believe that gold mine of lies?", said Shadow Griff, "Sparkle never saw you as a friend, only as an assistant"

Spike's heart nearly sank from shock

"No", he said with small tears of sadness, "You're wrong, she's always cared for me"

"But do you not remember?", replied Shadow Griff, "Princess Celestia sent her to Ponyville to make 'friends', meaning you were never her friend, only her servent/slave"

"B-b-b-b-but-but" Spike stammered

"Join me", said Shadow Griff, "You and I, a Pygmy Griffin and a Mountain Dragon, we are EverFree Forest inhabitants"

All of a sudden, Spike's eyes started to turn slightly orange with evil creeping into his heart.

"I'm listening", he said in a deep tone of his regular voice.

_To Be Continued_


	11. Chapter 11: Betrayal

Spike had finally caught up with the girls and encouraged that the seven of them should keep moving. Twilight got very worried, for she could see that Spike's eys were not his his usaul green color, but a new orange color that looked very creepy in the light of the moon.

By the time the 7 friends reached the temple, they all started searching for any seemingly camouflagued items in hopes that they would find the 8th Element of Harmony. Eventually, they all found something strange about the temple's main structure, the structure in which the other Elements used to rest upon.

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"Did you all actually think you could all find the 8th Element so quickly?", said a very familiar voice

And just like that, Shadow Griff emerged straight out of the shadows.

"The Spirit of Friendship is right here!", he anounced, pointing at the structure.

"What?", everyone, except Spike, gasped.

"Now you shall never retrieve it", continued Shadow Griff as he then created a force field around the structure disquise of the 8th Element.

"You mean we've been staring at the 8th Spirit this whole time?", said Rainbow

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"Come now Spike", said Shadow Griff

"Yes, my lord", replied Spike as he walked over to Griffy.

"Spike!", exclaimed Twilight, "What are you doing?"

"Why would you care?", growled Spike, "You never really cared for me, Sparkle!"

"I-I don't understand", stammered Twilight in horror.

"You never saw me as a friend", replied Spike, "Only as an asisstant. You only came to Ponyville so you could make FRIENDS! Meaning I was never your pal!"

The six Ponies realized that something terrible had just happened, both their male friends had gone to the dark side.

_To Be Continued_


	12. Chapter 12: Signs of Hope

"Remember, my fellow EverFree Forest inhabitant", Shadow Griff told Spike, "You do not need her or any of those Horses anymore"

Shadow Griff then shot out a great wave of power at the six Ponies and they were all suddenly locked in a cage of strong energy.

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"Spike!", Twilight cried out with tears of a broken heart starting to shed, "You have been my friend! You always have!"

"LIER!", snapped Spike fiercely, showing his sharp teeth.

"I was just sent to Ponyville to make friends of my own species", Twilight continued worringly, "But I have always had you as a friend, it's just you're a friend of a different species, that's all. And there's nothing wrong with having other species for friends"

Spike then started to realize that what Twilight was saying to him was true, and thus his eyes started to turn back to emerald green again.

"NO!", shouted Shadow Griff, "Don't listen to her!"

Spike just ran right over to the energy cage and tried to free the Ponies.

"Twilight is right", he said, "I am her best friend of all"

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The seven then activated their Elements of Harmony powers and destoryed the energy cage.

Suddenly, Shadow Griff deactivated the force field around the structure-like disguise of the 8th Element of Harmony and destroyed it. The seven all gasped in shock.

As Shadow Griff was doing his evil laugh, the Spirit of Friendship was at that moment invisible and quickly went inside Shadow Griff's body. This started to cause him to twitch rapidly. Shadow Griff was suddenly Griffy again and he spoke desperately.

"Guys!", Griffy panted, "Help me!"

He then suddenly turned back into Shadow Griff.

"Quiet you!", roared Shadow Griff, "How are you turning back into your pathetic, mortal self?"

He then turned back into Griffy.

"The Element's spirit has taken refuge within this body", Griffy replied with a serious voice, "For I represent the Spirit of Friendship!"

"Well you have always given us good advice on friendship and everything", said Twilight, "You can fight the evil thing inside you Griffy!"

_To Be Continued_


	13. Chapter 13: The End of Griffy?

As soon as it was declared that Griffy represented the Spirit of Friendship, parts from the structural disguise of the Spirit's previous form started to surround him.

"Keep all that debris away from me!", exclaimed Shadow Griff.

That's when a great aura of bright yellow light started to shine from his chest and in seconds, a massive explosion of great light bursted out of the temple from all directions. Spike and the six Ponies were temporarily blinded by this intense light for a few seconds.

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"G-g-gr-gr-griffy?", stammered Fluttershy timidly.

And standing there, was Griffy with really awesome-looking golden armor around his body (even his head had a Griffin head-shaped helmet on). That's when he collapsed with exhuastion.

"That evil thing's power took a lot out of me", he spoke in a breathless voice, "I think I'm dying"

"No Griffy!", cried his friends, "You can't die!"

Just then, the sun was already rising and Griffy was immediately starting to lose his balance on his four feet and coughing.

"Looks like he's going to kick the bucket", sighed Spike with sorrow while the girls started to shed tears.

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"Not if I can help it", said an extremely familiar voice.

It was Princess Celestia walking straight towards them

After the represenitives of Harmony (except Griffy, due to him dying) gave Celestia a formal bow, Spike asked her, "How did you know to find us here during sunrise?"

"Well I am the one who controls the day", replied Celestia, "Now I have arrived to see that the source of all evil has been banished from a mortal body"

"But the guy who held that evil thang represents the Spirit of Friendship, the 8th Element of Harmony", said Applejack.

"And he's fataly injured", sighed Rarity with sorrow.

Celestia walked right up to Griffy to see that her second best pupil was lying on the floor, wearing golden armor and was slowly going to pass away. Celestia then gently lowered her head and, with the magic in her horn, started to heal Griffy (practically reviving him).

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Griffy started to open his eyes to see the calming and relaxing face of Princess Celestia standing in front of him. He slowly pulled himself up off the floor and smiled to the princess and his seven friends.

"Thank you", said Griffy as he then hugged Celestia and began to shed tears and then went over to his friends, "I actually thank you all"

That's when Griffy looked down to see golden armor on his body.

"Whoa!", he said in amazement, "Check me out! I feel like I could take on the whole universe! Single-handedly!"

He then found that the armor around his arms (or forelimbs) could tract a pair of gold-colored, sythe-like blades.

"Magnificently awesome!", he said with happiness.

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"Hey!", exclaimed Rainbow Dash, "Where's that evil Kurayami guy? I wanna kick his butt! If he had a butt"

"Maybe he was late for a party!", suggested Pinkie Pie.

"Kurayami has escaped into the darkest of shadows and will obviously return in the future", declared Celestia.

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Pretty soon, the 8 represenatives of the Elements of Harmony (2 males and 6 females) were then the new protectors of the planet. When ever there is danger, they just activate their powers and get into action.

These new adventures with the 8 heroes shall be for another time.

_The End (The story continues in "Return of the Diamond Dogs")_


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